


Deterministic Romance

by lRinna



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Cat Owner Gaara, F/M, Veterinarian Sakura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 11:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21475357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lRinna/pseuds/lRinna
Summary: Sometimes, no matter where you are, when something is meant to be, the world will find a way to make it happen. Romantic fluff between hopeless cat owner Gaara and Sakura.
Relationships: Gaara/Haruno Sakura
Comments: 5
Kudos: 67





	Deterministic Romance

“Seriously Naruto, you have to stop coming to my house at 3am to patch you up like this.” Sakura sighed, looking at the grinning blond brother of hers. 

“Aw c’mon, Sakura-chan! Where else am I supposed to go?” He answered, taking his usual seat by her table. Sakura rolled her eyes at him, yet she took out her first aid kit, which contained many more items than a usual kit and was used much more frequently than one too.

Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura were siblings through adoption, as Naruto’s parents had taken Sakura when she was a baby. The Harunos and Uzumaki were neighbors, and an explosion at the local power plant had killed Sakura’s parents. The Uzumaki wasted no time in adopting her, and had raised her with the same love as their own son, Naruto. Sakura herself loved the Uzumaki just as much, and that love meant that no matter how many times she told Naruto to head to the hospital instead, she would always mend his wounds.

“Who was it this time? The Sand Guy? The Fire Guy?” Sakura asked casually, as she carefully cleaned the various cuts that littered Naruto’s body. 

“Some random dude with a lot of swords. I think he went by Bee?” Naruto answered, trying to remember the name of his opponent. 

“You know, you should stop with this whole superhero business before it gets you killed.” Sakura said, preparing some needle and thread. One of the cuts was deep, and would require a couple stitches. 

The power plant explosion that killed Sakura’s parents had also altered her and Naruto’s genetic code, giving them superpowers. They weren’t the only ones either, for as long as Sakura could remember, there were always those with superhuman abilities, all of them obtained in all different manner of ways. During a time Sakura herself also took to the streets as a hero, trying to save anyone and everyone, but now she was retired, that life long behind. Naruto however, would not give up. He took protecting Konoha to heart, frequently getting into fights with other superhumans.

“Nah, you know I actually think I’m going to convert Shukaku to my side soon! Last time we fought I think I really got him, you know?” Naruto grinned while Sakura stitched his wound. She shook her head. When she had been doing the superhero business, Sakura lost her mentor and friend Tsunade to Orochimaru. He had betrayed them, killing Sakura’s mentor. That night Sakura had lost everything. Her friend, her mentor and her patron. Without Tsunade’s help, Sakura could no longer stay in medical school, and had been forced to instead change to the cheaper and easier veterinary route. 

“I doubt it. Once a bad guy, always a bad guy.” Sakura answered. She was no longer fighting crime, but she had a hard time believing anyone could change.

“Don’t say that. Shukaku isn’t really a bad guy like that. He usually only goes after wealthy white collar criminals. There’s actually a bunch of people that are really thankful to him. We just end up fighting because I disagree with his methods.” Naruto pouted. Sakura finished cleaning the wound and started putting her tools away.

“So he’s a vigilante. They’re still not much better…” She shrugged. Knowing that Naruto would likely end up sleeping on her couch, she took out the blanket he always used, which was stored in the same closet as the medical pouch. “Here, you can stay the rest of the night. I’m going back to bed, so goodnight, Naruto. Try not to get yourself into any fights for the next couple days to give yourself time to heal.” Sakura advised. The only commonality between her and Naruto’s powers was their uncanny ability to heal extremely fast compared to the normal human. They could heal a broken bone in a mere week. One time, Sakura broke all of Naruto’s bones, and he was walking within days.

“Yep! I’ll be extra careful. Thanks, Sakura-chan!” Naruto headed to the couch, removing his shirt for greater comfort and Sakura left him behind, returning to the sweet embrace of her bed. She had a day full of patients to worry about.

When Sakura left for work, Naruto was still sleeping. Leaving him a note on the leftovers in the fridge, Sakura headed to the animal clinic she worked at. It was a small shop, owned by a friend of the Uzumaki family, who had been happy to welcome Sakura to it. She liked working for Kakashi, and although the clinic didn’t have many high paying customers, the friendly atmosphere and the loyalty of the locals more than made up for the smaller income.

That day she greeted Hinata happily. Hyuuga Hinata was the clinic’s receptionist and assistant. Sakura and Rin were the two doctors, while Sakura usually took daily duties, Rin preferred to work graveyard and weekend shifts. Kakashi would come and go as he pleased, and Sakura had no idea what he did whenever he wasn’t around. 

“Do you think you can have an extra appointment today, Sakura? We had a last minute call from a Gaara who can’t come in until 7pm.” Hinata asked Sakura, who was preparing the examination room for them to open. Sakura nodded, as she didn’t really have any social engagements. After Hinata left, she contemplated how lonely it was to have nothing to do on a Friday night. Sakura didn’t have many friends due to her stint as a superhero. She had been too busy juggling the duties of a medical student and a hero by night to be able to make friends.

“Sakura, Shizune-san is here, can I send her in?” Hinata’s voice echoed from outside the room and Sakura called out an affirmative reply, shaking the negative thoughts out of her head. She had a good job, a good family and a good life, that was more than many people could ask for, and she should be content with it.

The day went by as it usually did, filled with concerned people and grumpy pets. Sakura smiled, reassured and educated, as she usually did. Everyone was always surprised with how docile pets were around and Sakura always laughed it off. The truth was simply that she used her domain of chakra to quickly show the animal she was the top of the food chain, which usually rendered them respectful and docile. Even Hakuho’s unfriendly guard dog treated her well, and Sakura rewarded him with a treat and a head pat.

She had lunch together with Hinata, and watched the other girl go through the usual struggle of wanting to ask Sakura about Naruto, but trying to not be obvious about it. Sakura was well aware of the other girl’s crush on her brother, and although she knew that her brother was too dense to realize it, she would not do anything to facilitate the two of them getting together. Hinata was a sweet girl that did not deserve to be put into risk by being Naruto’s girlfriend. Sakura herself had already been attacked a few times for being his sister, but she could easily defend herself. Hinata did not have that privilege, and for her own safety, Sakura would not tell Naruto anything.

The afternoon was much smoother, and Sakura decided to help Hinata with inventory, as she didn’t have any appointments besides the one at 7pm. It wasn’t unusual for them to receive a request for a later appointment, as some working pet owners usually had issues getting time off from work for their pets. The two of them sorted out the new inventory and organized some of the old things. By the time they were finished it was almost 7.

"Hinata, your shift was over forever ago! You should have gone home!" Sakura worried over the girl, wondering why she had stayed until later when she was not required to. 

"Ah, well… We were busy doing inventory and I didn't want to leave you waiting around for your 7 o’clock by yourself so I ended up staying a little longer…" Hinata blushed a little and Sakura felt her heart shrink. Hinata was always so thoughtful towards her and yet Sakura wouldn't help her achieve the happiness she desired. Forcing a smile to her face in order to hide her inner feelings, Sakura started to direct Hinata towards her desk. 

"You really don't have to worry about me! Don't you have to take two busses to get home yourself? You really need to start putting yourself first, Hinata." Sakura chided the girl playfully, feeling guilty on the inside. 

"Ah well I just don't know if it's a good idea for you to be alone…" Before Hinata could finish her sentence, they were interrupted by a new arrival. 

A young man with bright red hair, jade green eyes and a strong build entered the building, gently holding a carry box. He looked exhausted, with dark black circles around his eyes, and a sag to his shoulders. He was a new customer, as neither Sakura nor Hinata had ever seen him before. 

"Are you Gaara-san, the 7pm? I'm Haruno Sakura, the Veterinarian." Sakura asked him. He nodded and Sakura turned her attention to Hinata one last time. "Since he's here now, you can head home. I bet Rin will be here by the time we're done, okay?" Sakura told Hinata, wishing that she could escort her home, as Sakura wanted to protect the kind, thoughtful girl. Once Hinata agreed, Sakura motioned towards Gaara, leading him to the examination room. 

She took the box from Gaara, placing it on the table and opening the door to take a look inside. A beige colored cat was laying down, looking around suspiciously. At first glance the cat didn't seem to be injured, and Sakura slowly reached in to cajole the feline to leave. 

"Be careful." Gaara warned Sakura. She simply smiled. The cat was not hostile, and easily allowed Sakura to gently pull it outside. She removed the box from the table and allowed the cat a moment to take in its surroundings. 

"So Gaara-san, what is this lady's name and age?" Sakura asked, trying to get some more information from the owner, who was staring at the cat with concern. 

"She's Suna. She used to be my sister's so I don't know how old…" He answered hesitantly. "She hasn't been eating much and she's been sluggish. Usually she's very… Wild."

Sakura placed her hands on Suna for a quick examination through touch. Again Gaara looked like he was worried, and then surprised once he noticed how docile Suna was in Sakura’s hand. It took Sakura no time to figure out the reason for Suna's unusual behavior and she smiled at Gaara reassuringly as she gently ran her hands through Suna's fur. 

"Well, I can promise you that she's perfectly healthy. In fact, she's a good, healthy cat. Her behavior is completely normal for a pregnant feline. You'll have to-" Sakura began to explain when she was interrupted. 

"Pregnant? How? I don't have another cat!" Gaara exclaimed, completely shocked. 

"Well, do you leave your window open a lot? You've mentioned that Suna is a little on the wild side, it's entirely possible that one night she decided to go out and have some fun. You'll have to be careful with that by the way. She'll become more territorial and you don't want her picking fights. Additionally you might want to consider changing her diet. If she's not eating what you're currently giving her, it might be a good idea to have a change to something a little more nutritional." Sakura continued to supply him with all the information he needed, but he looked overwhelmed. Leaving Suna on the table, Sakura walked to the nearby computer. Searching for a specific file, she had it printed and handed it to the stunned male. "This is a very useful printout on the major things that you'll have to know and some additional sources in case you want to do further research. I'll ask you to come back every other week so we can monitor her pregnancy closer. As you don't know how old she is, we don't want to potentially risk anything. Gaara-san, are you okay?" Sakura asked him. 

He took a moment but eventually nodded, receiving the printout Sakura was holding towards him. He moved closer to his cat, gingerly placing his hand on her, almost as if he was afraid. 

"Anything that you think is needed. I'll make sure it happens. Suna is… She's the only family I have left." He spoke in a low tone. Sakura felt the pain hidden in his voice. As someone who lost family, she could understand the preciousness of those who were still here. 

"We have some food here that she might enjoy, and I'll give you some vitamin pills that you can crush and mix with her food to make sure she remains as healthy as possible. And here, I don't usually do this, but this is my personal phone. If anything happens, you can call me." Sakura scribbled her phone on the back of her business card and handed it to him. She was always very paranoid about her privacy, but there was something in him that tugged at her heartstrings. 

"Thank you." He turned to her, meeting her eyes with his own. Jade met emerald and something in Sakura spiked at the meeting of eyes. Fearing that intense feeling, she quickly looked away, using the excuse to get him the promised supplies as an excuse to make a quick escape from his presence. 

Once outside, Sakura brought her hand to her rapidly beating heart, wondering why she was having this reaction. He was handsome, and certainly intense, but Sakura believed herself stronger than that. I will not fall for a man I just met! This is just because I haven't been with anyone recently! She told herself. Forcing her mind to refocus, Sakura procured the food and vitamins she had promised and returned to the examination room, to find a annoyed Gaara trying to get a reluctant Suna to return to the travel box. 

Smiling at his struggle, Sakura took over, and Suna easily complied. Gaara practically pouted at the blatant betrayal, and Sakura wondered what other expressions he could make. She handed him the food and the pills, and the two humans and one feline headed outside. Sakura took the seat that was usually occupied by Hinata to make him another appointment. 

"Can you return in ten days? Perhaps at a more convenient time?" Sakura asked him. He nodded. 

"I apologize, my work has me very busy throughout the day. I could possibly come during the lunch hour if that's alright with you?" Gaara asked and Sakura scheduled him for lunch. He paid for his things and Sakura watched him leave thoughtfully, deciding that perhaps it was time to call Ino and try and find someone to hook up with. She clearly needed some physical relief.

By the time Gaara and Suna's next appointment rolled by, Sakura had already forgotten all about her physical attraction to the man, but as soon as he stepped through the door, it returned, almost stronger than before. He was wearing a well-fit business suit, which highlighted his strong build. She admired the way the fabric strained against his muscles when he moved, and almost slapped herself when she realized she'd been staring. 

Focusing on her patient, Sakura removed Suna from her box and examined her again, running her hands through the cat to make sure nothing seemed out of place. 

"She's been more affectionate than usual." Gaara spoke, breaking the silence and Sakura’s concentration. 

"That's a good thing, it means that she trusts you to protect her during her vulnerable time. Have you thought about what you'll do with the kittens?" Sakura asked, having an inkling he probably hadn't thought that far ahead. 

Her suspicion was confirmed when he blinked at her, his face blank, as if he had ceased to think. 

"I don't know." He answered, sounding lost. Sakura smiled at him, being familiar with new pet owners.

"Well, obviously they can't be separated from the mom for a little while, but after that, you can either give them to friends or make a listing here. We have a board outside for pets looking for an owner, if you want to tell people that you have a pregnant cat, I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who wants a kitten or two." Sakura briefly considered taking a pet for herself, as her old cat had died a few months ago and she did miss him. 

Gaara nodded, and Sakura showed him the board after she finished checking on Suna. He thanked her, paid her and left, after making sure his next appointment was scheduled. 

"So that's your type, huh." Hinata spoke up, smiling at the blushing Sakura, who stuttered, an unusual reversal of their roles. 

"I don't have a type, and even if I did, I don't date." Sakura huffed, crossing her arms. 

"Why not? You've never explained to me why." Hinata asked. Sakura looked at her sadly. How could she explain her fears to this girl? 

"I had a couple bad experiences. That's all." Sakura replied vaguely and returned to her office to do paperwork. Once safely inside, she sat at her desk, blankly staring at the screen in front of her. 

How could she willingly enter a relationship with someone when doing so would put them in constant danger? It wasn't just the possibility that they'd be a target, but that Sakura herself could severely hurt them. She had certainly gotten much better at not losing control of her super strength after puberty, but she still remembered the many times she accidentally hurt a lover, and she couldn’t bear the guilt and pain. No, Sakura thought, it's much better to be alone. 

Unfortunately the world seemed to have a different view, as every subsequent time she saw Gaara she liked him more and more. He was a serious man, but he was also kind and thoughtful, and she could see how much he cared, just from the way he looked at his cat. Sakura wanted him, but she couldn't allow herself to do anything, so she made sure to always place a wall between them, hiding behind her kind smiles and polite gentleness. 

Her feelings for Gaara were starting to interrupt her social life, as she no longer wanted to go to parties with Ino in order to flirt and make out with random strangers. Once that helped her cope with the loneliness, now the thought was abhorrent to her. As such, Sakura spent her Saturday night by herself, watching old reruns of a comedy show she didn't really care about, thinking about someone she couldn't have. 

Her phone rang, and Sakura answered distractedly, not even looking at the number. 

"Hello?"

"Haruno-san?" A panicked voice that she recognized as Gaara came through. Her instincts jumped at her, suddenly afraid. 

"Gaara-san? Are you alright?" She asked, already getting up from her couch, wondering who could have figured out how she felt to target him. 

"Yes, I mean no, I think Suna is giving birth and I don't know what to do." 

Sakura relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief, and immediately scolded herself for being so panicky. 

"Well, has she found somewhere to nest in? Make sure to have lots of towels and…" A strangled meow came from the other side of the call, worrying Sakura, who quickly realized that Suna was giving birth a week earlier than expected. "Actually, where do you live, Gaara-san, she doesn't sound good and I'd like to come over to help." 

Gaara gave her his address, and Sakura wrote it down. With a reassuring promise that she'd be there as fast as possible, she hung up, running to her room to change. Sakura forgoed public transportation, choosing to leap from rooftop to rooftop, making it to his house much faster than a car could. She hoped he wouldn't question her speed, and he didn't, simply ushering her in, and directing her to Suna. 

* * *

Gaara finally felt he could breathe. He thanked the heavens for the miraculous woman that was Haruno Sakura. Suna gave birth early and according to Sakura it had been good that he called her, as the kittens had a hard time exiting the mother's womb. He watched her gently pull three kittens out of his cat in shock and mild horror. Even though he had seen his share of battle and blood, he had never truly admired courage and resilience until that point. 

Looking over his cat and her litter as they slept in peace after the complicated birth, Gaara was hit with the dull pang of anger and sadness. Temari would have loved to have seen them. She was the family oriented one, and he knew she'd want to keep all the kittens. 

Sabaku no Gaara was the last survivor of three siblings, all of them gifted individuals that had been trained by a shadow organization to use their powers for evil. Temari and Kankuro had done everything in their power to make sure they weren't separated, and in the end they died, leaving behind Gaara and Suna. 

He had been filled with rage, and had murdered his way to anonymity, so that he could live the peaceful life his siblings desired. Unfortunately that peace hadn't lasted long, as his position as an influential lawyer showed him that behind that organization, was a group of wealthy, unscrupulous individuals who sought to manipulate society to how they saw fit. Gaara had since devoted his life to investigating and exterminating them. His search had brought him to Konoha, where he met Naruto and Haruno Sakura. 

He still didn't know Naruto's last name, and he didn't want to. All he knew was that the man who went by the handle Kyuubi was his most worthwhile opponent yet. He enjoyed their fights, as they frequently fought whenever Gaara sought to hunt one of his marks. Naruto wanted to protect everyone, he claimed to be a hero, and he wanted to save Gaara too, wanting him to stop killing, and start using justice to punish instead. 

_ A lifetime of prison is much worse than a quick death to men like these!  _

If Naruto was the fire that kept challenging him, Sakura was the one who soothed him. He didn't know why, but by her side he knew peace he didn't know existed. Her smiles, her kindness and her thoughtfulness were symbols of a life he could not have, a precious thing that he could never touch. He knew he was dangerous, and he could not bear if anything happened to her. Gaara knew there was a physical attraction between them, but he purposely ignored it, knowing that he did not deserve Haruno Sakura. 

The following night, Gaara stared at his phone, contemplating whether he should call Sakura or not, simply to hear her voice, using the excuse of the newly born kittens as a way to justify his call. He looked at the cat family, admiring the soft mewls and the dutiful mother licking them. Before he could decide, he felt the familiar presence of Naruto enter his territory. He was clearly not in a good mood as his chakra was spiking all over the place and Gaara made his way to his room, to put on a better outfit and grab his mask. 

Leaving through the window, and making sure he closed it behind him, Gaara used his sand to fly, trying to locate the raging fox boy. Naruto found him first, throwing himself towards Gaara with a savagery he had never seen before in the usually cheerful blonde male. 

"You! You bastard! Give her back! You better not have harmed her or I'll kill you!" He roared, red eyes and flashing white teeth bared. Gaara used his sand to push him away, confused as to what he was being accused of. He hadn't harmed anyone recently, and he didn't even know who Naruto was talking about. 

"Naruto. Calm down. I don't know who you're talking about." Gaara hoped he'd be able to sort this out fast, as he didn't want to leave Suna and the kittens alone for long. 

"You know my name! You're the only one who could have done it! She was last seen heading here! You took her! You took my sister!" He yelled, making clones to fight Gaara. As he easily dispatched them with his sand, Gaara thought about what the blonde said. 

"I don't even know who your sister is. I'll help you look for her." Gaara offered. He had a sister once, and he understood the pain of loss acutely. Naruto was already filled with anger just at the thought of losing her, he didn't want to watch him go through the same rage he did. 

His offer seemed to calm Naruto down, as his eyes returned to blue. His shoulders sagged, and his sight was downcast, which didn't sit well with Gaara, who liked him more when he was cocky and unpredictable. 

"Her name is Sakura. She has pink hair and green eyes…"

Gaara's entire world froze. He could have sworn his heart stopped too. Sakura. Pink hair. Green eyes. That Sakura was Naruto’s sister. Did she know about him? Had she been lying to him? And she was missing. She had probably been taken because she returned home late from helping him. It was his fault. He was going to lose her. And it was his fault. 

"Gaara! Gaara! Hey are you ok?!" He could faintly hear Naruto's voice over the turbulence of his thoughts, but he didn't acknowledge it, drowning in the guilt, anger and self-doubt. "Snap out of it man!" Naruto banged their foreheads together, dragging Gaara out of his mind. 

"I'm the cause. She came here to help me and she returned home late. I should have offered to walk her home. I could have prevented this." Gaara muttered, apologizing for his shortcomings. He felt powerless for the third time in his life and he hated it. 

"Well if you didn't take her, then don't worry about it. She'll be fine." Naruto looked at him seriously and Gaara thought the man was crazy. Just a minute ago he had been flying with rage and now he was back to usual as if everything was alright. 

A sudden tremor and explosion rocked their surroundings, as a large dust cloud grew in the north. Naruto took off running, and Gaara directed his sand to follow. He wondered what could it be, and noticed the mad grin on Naruto's face. 

"Why are you smiling?" 

"That right there? Sakura-chan is totally kicking some ass." He pointed towards the source of all the tremors. Gaara realized then that if Naruto had powers and Sakura was his sister, it meant that she likely had powers of her own. "Still I didn't know you knew Sakura-chan. How did you two meet?" Naruto asked and Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow at him. 

"You didn't tell her about me?" 

"No. Why would I? You're my friend, and Sakura-chan doesn't do the superhero thing any more, so I wasn't really going to tell her about you." Naruto shrugged. Gaara wondered then if by some bizarre twist of fate, he had met her entirely coincidentally, and she had no idea of who he was either. 

"Wait. We're friends?"

Before Naruto could answer, they arrived at the scene of battle, an abandoned construction site, where Sakura was battling Orochimaru, a known villain that liked to sow chaos everywhere. Gaara was shocked to see Sakura raise an entire concrete pillar and throw it at Orochimaru as if it was a javelin made of light wood. It was a stark contrast to the gentle handling she dispensed his cat the previous night. 

Orochimaru turned his attention to the new arrivals, eyeing Naruto greedily, which didn't sit well with Gaara. 

"Ohohoho this is unexpected." The snake man looked at Gaara, as if he was intruding upon something. 

With a quick gesture, Gaara took control over the large quantities of sand that surrounded the snake, attempting to restrain him. Sakura lost her footing in the suddenly shifty ground, and Gaara stabilized her, using some of the sand to bring her to where he and Naruto were. Once she was safe, Gaara concentrated on restraining the man, ignoring the two bickering siblings next to him. 

The Snake quickly realized he was outnumbered and escaped, prompting a frustrated sigh from Naruto and Sakura. 

"I swear that man will never stop hunting you down, Naruto." Sakura complained, crossing her arms. She threw a weary glance at the man most people knew as Shukaku, wondering why he was there and why he had saved her. "Thanks for the help, but I was doing just fine on my own." She addressed him. 

Gaara looked her over, noticing her pale skin, and how she was still wearing the previous night's outfit and realized that she had been captured for a full day. Removing his mask, he was rewarded with a gasp of shock from her, telling him that she truly had no idea of who he was. 

"No, I apologize. If I had offered to walk you home last night, none of this would have happened." He bowed his head, feeling guilty. 

"Wait. You two aren't dating or anything, right?" Naruto asked them suspiciously, and Sakura reached over to smack him. 

"Gaara-san's cat gave birth last night and I helped, idiot." Sakura answered, avoiding eye contact with Gaara. 

"Oh huh, congrats then." 

Gaara set them all down in a nearby rooftop, watching the two siblings embrace each other. He felt a small pang of jealousy towards them, remembering his own siblings. They turned to him and Sakura directed a kind smile to him.

"I wasn't aware you were Naruto’s friend, Gaara-san." Sakura spoke, returning to the usual demeanor he was used to receiving from her. 

"We're not really friends…" Gaara averted his eyes, suddenly embarrassed. He didn't really dislike Naruto anymore, not after everything they've been through, but to call them friends would be a stretch, in his opinion. 

"Don't believe him, Sakura-chan, he's just shy. We're totally pals!" Naruto grinned, and Gaara glared at him. Sakura laughed at her brother's antics. 

"Regardless of your relationship status, I hope that at least our relationship may allow me to ask you to not divulge my uh, special abilities to the world. I try to keep to myself." Sakura asked him earnestly and Gaara nodded. He wouldn't ever do something as dishonorable as that.

"You can trust him, don't worry about it, Sakura-chan. C'mon, let's get you home, I'm sure you're exhausted." Naruto gave Gaara one final thumbs up before jumping off. Sakura nodded to him before following her brother, leaving Gaara alone. 

Deciding he had a lot to think about, he summoned his sand to fly him home. Once he arrived, he was greeted by the mewling of Suna's new family, and Gaara checked on the kittens. They were all in good shape, huddled around their mother. Deciding that his immediate attention wasn't required, Gaara stepped into his kitchen to prepare a quick meal before sleep. 

He contemplated the information he gained today, from Naruto's trust, Sakura’s identity and the eerie look Orochimaru gave them. Gaara hated the snake as much as the next guy, but the fact that he knew to target Sakura sent chills down his spine. Clearly she knew how to defend herself, but he didn't want to find a new veterinarian, especially after how well she had performed, so Gaara promised himself to keep an eye on her, just to make sure she was safe. 

The next day he worked from home, too worried about Suna's litter to spend a full day away from them. He was glad he did, as watching over the newborn kittens was a pleasure he didn't know existed. They were adorable little fragile beans, completely innocent and unaware of the perils of the outside world, nestled in the comfort of blankets and their mother. Gaara spent so much time admiring them, he wasn't nearly as productive as he should have been. 

His phone rang at sunset, and Gaara was surprised by the caller ID, which told him it was Sakura who was calling him. 

"Hello." He answered, wondering why she was calling him. 

"Gaara-san, I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Not at all."

"Well I'm calling you about the kittens actually. I'd just like to confirm with you that you won't be keeping any of them? It seems we have enough interest in the litter, and all four already have homes waiting for them."

"That's good news."

"Yes, they're all regular customers too, so I can vouch that they'll be taking good care of Suna's offspring."

Gaara smiled. Even though she had just been kidnapped, involved in a fight, discovered he was a famous vigilante, she still dispensed him the same kindness and thoughtfulness as before. 

"Wait. Does this mean that you were at the clinic today?" 

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" 

"Well, last night…"

"Please don't worry about me, I'm perfectly fine." There was a hint of iciness in her tone that told Gaara he had said something wrong. Seeking to rectify his mistake he hastily blurted out:

"Would you like to have dinner then? As uh, thanks for helping with Suna… And uh, an apology." He stumbled over his words and cursed himself for losing his cool. Sakura didn't say anything, and Gaara checked his phone to make sure that the call hadn't dropped. 

"Sure. Would tomorrow work?" 

Gaara let out a sigh of relief. 

"Yes. I'll text you the details?" 

"That works. I'll see you then."

The following day came with rivers of unrelenting rain, which caused Gaara to stare worriedly at his window. He chose to stay at home again, and wondered what he should do about Sakura. They had agreed on dinner, but if the weather did not improve, the plans he had made wouldn’t come to fruition. The restaurant he had picked was famous for its open, airy atmosphere, which didn’t go well when a rainstorm was happening.

He stared at his phone, wondering what he should do. Deciding to postpone his decision until after lunch, Gaara set to work. He did so diligently until noon, when he was yet again faced with the complicated task of calling Sakura. Her phone rang multiple times and went unanswered. Gaara felt panic began to settle in. She could have been kidnapped again, and in this rain, using his sand would be impossible. Wondering what to do, his phone began to rang, showing Sakura’s ID.

“Hello!” He answered rapidly.

“Hi! You called?” Sakura sounded a little breathless but otherwise alright. Gaara felt relief fill him over.

“Yes. I did. It was about dinner.”

“Oh of course. It’s raining an awful lot, so I’m assuming you’ll want to postpone it?” 

“Yes. Would Saturday work?”

“Yes. I’ll see you then.”

Gaara smiled at his phone and hung up in a much better mood. He walked into his kitchen wondering what he should make for himself.

The rest of the week passed at a snail’s pace for Gaara, who could only think of his Saturday’s dinner date. He also had another issue that was starting to worry him. In taking care of Suna’s litter, he had started to really bond with the smallest of the kittens, which had been requiring extra attention from him. He was the slowest and would frequently be stepped on by his siblings. All the other kittens were already beginning to open their eyes and walk around, but this one was still stumbling around. He had begun to feel the desire to keep the little thing and to nurture it, as he felt that he related to it.

Gaara planned to speak to Sakura about the little runt over dinner. To both ask for better directions on how to care for the kitten and to perhaps ask if he was allowed to keep it. He hoped he wasn’t breaking any rules by going back on his word, and mulled over it as he drove towards Sakura’s home, to pick her up. She had texted him the address earlier, and Gaara felt the nervousness settle in his stomach as he sped towards her apartment.

She had been waiting for him at the lobby, and entered his car without commenting on it, which surprised Gaara, as all his other dates had always remarked on his fancy car. He took her to the restaurant, and they talked about small things during the drive there.

Once they were seated and had already ordered, Gaara decided to speak of the kitten.

“Ah yes, it’s not uncommon to have one underdeveloped kitten in a litter, and they always require some extra care. Insofar as keeping it… Well, I did say all four of them had already been spoken for, and since I was one of the four people, I can relinquish him to you, Gaara-san.” Sakura smiled. Gaara suddenly changed his mind, a small plan beginning to form in his mind.

“Oh no, if it’s you who will be caring for him, I insist you take him. I am sure you’ll do a much better job than me. I only ask that I be allowed to see him.” Gaara smiled back at Sakura. He’d look for any excuse to spend more time with her. 

“Of course you can see him.”

Gaara nodded. The two of them fell in silence. Gaara looked at her, admiring her beauty and elegance. He wondered if he had a chance with her, and whether he should be bold or not. He noticed that she was looking at a table to their right, and following her gaze, noticed it was a table with a couple.

“Sakura. Would you be opposed to…. I mean, do you want to….” Not feeling like he had the right words, Gaara grew frustrated. “I’d like to date you.” He blurted out. Immediately regretting his forceful tone he looked away, ready for rejection.

“I’d like to date you too…” He looked at her again, suddenly filled with hope, until he saw her sad look. “But I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because of who I am. You know about my special abilities. There’s those who want to do harm to my family and those around us. I don’t wish to hurt you in any way, so I cannot allow you to get close to me.” Sakura shook her head. Gaara understood her concerns, and was happy that she was so thoughtful, and that it was such an easy obstacle for him to overcome.

“Then it’s no problem. You know of my special abilities. I will not be harmed so easily.” He answered cockily. Gaara knew he was a force of nature, and he dared anyone to try and overcome him.

Sakura looked at him in surprise.

“You…” She seemed speechless and Gaara smiled.

“If you’re still not confident. I’d be happy to spar with you and prove to you why I am your ideal partner.”

* * *

One year later…

“Sasori! Suna! Yum yums!”

A cat with reddish-ginger fur sped through a living room towards the kitchen, followed by another cat, with sandy blonde fur. 

“I still don’t understand why. When I do it, I get ignored.”

“Isn’t it obvious, dear? They know who is the top of the food chain.”

“You should remember that a few hours ago you were very much the bottom, and you liked it.”

A happy laugh echoed throughout the house, followed by a meow of impatience.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I've been busy working on a couple of longer projects, hence my lack of new stories. However, I had this idea for a simple cute one-shot involving Gaara and Sakura and a cat, which I decided to polish up for a small one-shot as a palate cleanser from my other stories. Thank you all for reading and I hope you've enjoyed it.


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